Restorative Dental Care

Dental Fillings/Tooth Fillings

Beadnell Family Dentistry is a mercury-free practice. We provide esthetic tooth colored/bonded restorations when a filling is required for one of your teeth. These fillings are closely matched to your existing teeth to achieve the most natural-looking result. Dr. Beadnell will also closely monitor your old or existing fillings for any signs of failure. After years of use, fillings can start to break down at the edges, which can lead to new decay or weakening of the surrounding tooth structure.

Advantages of Tooth-Colored Restorations

Tooth-colored/bonded restorations are fillings that help add strength to weakened teeth. These restorations are esthetically pleasing and are very strong due to new bonding technologies.

There are many advantages to tooth-colored restorations. The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can significantly improve the appearance of a tooth. Composite restorations come in a variety of shades to create a color that is nearly identical to that of actual tooth structure. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.

Disadvantages of Silver Fillings

Silver fillings have many drawbacks. The edges of silver fillings can wear down, become weak or break. This results in the tooth not being protected and can lead to recurring decay at the edges. With age, the metal of a silver filling expands, contracts, and can cause tooth cracks. Silver fillings can corrode and cause stains on your teeth and gums. Fortunately, they can safely be replaced with Tooth-Colored Restorations.

Root Canal Therapy

Nothing is as good as a natural tooth! And sometimes your natural tooth may need root canal (endodontic) treatment for it to remain a healthy part of your mouth.

A tooth is made of enamel and dentin on the outside and pulp or nerve tissue on the inside. A root canal is necessary when the pulp, the nerve inside the root, becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, an injury to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess.

The purpose of a root canal is to save the damaged tooth. This is done by removing the infected pulp, treating any remaining infection, and filling the empty root canals with special, medicated dental materials, restoring the tooth to its full function. Often, antibiotics are used in conjunction with root canal therapy.

Root Canal Therapy can take one to three office visits to complete. Afterwards, it is essential that you return to have a crown or other restoration placed over the tooth to protect it. For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if you had pain or infection before the procedure. You can relieve pain with over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Dental Crowns

Our goal at Beadnell Family Dentistry is to provide dental work that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.

Crowns are generally used to support damaged teeth, teeth with cracks or large existing restorations, and fix functional chewing problems. Material used for crowns are high-grade porcelain, ceramic, or porcelain bonded to gold.

Fitting a crown requires at least two visits. Initially, Dr. Beadnell will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown. On the subsequent visit, the temporary crown will be removed, and the permanent crown will be fitted and adjusted. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth!

Replacing Missing Teeth

All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Tooth loss doesn’t necessarily have to occur as you age, but if you do lose teeth they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth.

Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.

Fortunately, there are options for correcting tooth loss. These options include dental bridges, dental implants, and removable partial and full dentures.

Dental Bridges

Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized with a bridge. A dental bridge is a device used to replace missing teeth; the bridge attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth.

Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Bridges can be constructed from gold, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. The bridge procedure usually takes two or three appointments to complete.

At the first appointment, Dr. Beadnell will prepare the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin. Since the bridge must be fabricated very precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing tooth, impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a lab where the bridge will be constructed. A temporary bridge will be placed to protect the teeth between appointments.
Fixed bridges are cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth. Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge.

A strict regimen of brushing and flossing will keep the bridge and surrounding teeth clean. This is of critical importance as the bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support.

Dental Implants & Prosthetics

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement of teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. The bone surrounding the implant bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. A dental crown is then placed on the implant once healing has occurred. In addition, dental implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration, which occurs when teeth are missing.

A dental implant requires no alterations to the adjacent teeth. Our office works closely with oral surgery specialists to provide implant therapy to our patients. The oral surgeons provide the surgical aspect of implant therapy. We restore the dental implants with single crowns or bridges. Also we fabricate implant supported dentures and partial dentures.

Removable Dental Prosthesis

For missing teeth, we can make dentures or removable partial dentures for you. There are different types of dentures that can be utilized depending on your personal needs:

Complete Dentures – A denture (or a complete denture as it is often called) is an appliance that is inserted in the mouth, replacing natural teeth and providing support for the cheeks and lips.
These replace all of your teeth, upper and lower, and rest directly on your jaw. They require multiple appointments, allowing Dr. Beadnell to take impressions of your mouth and comfortably fit your custom-made dentures.

Immediate Dentures – Immediate dentures are placed the same day when your teeth are extracted, allowing bone and tissue to heal.

Partial Dentures – A removable partial denture completes your smile by filling out the spaces created by missing teeth, attaching to your natural teeth with clasps that hold them in place. Partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum colored plastic bases connected by a metal framework. Your natural teeth are used as stable supports for removable partial dentures. Natural teeth also help people use their dentures more comfortably and effectively.

Overdentures – A type of denture that is placed over dental implants and typically “snaps” onto the implants, giving the denture more stability and better fit.

Dentures over a normal course of time will wear and need to be replaced or relined in order to keep the jaw alignment normal. The alignment will slowly change as the bone and gum ridges recede or shrink due to the extraction of the teeth.

Regular dental examinations are still important for the denture wearer so that the oral tissues can be checked for disease or change.

Oral Surgery/Tooth Extractions

Portland family dentist Dr. Beadnell may determine with you that one of your teeth needs to be extracted. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Some may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

The removal of a single tooth can lead to problems related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, and shifting teeth, which can have a major impact on your dental health. To avoid these complications, Dr. Beadnell will discuss alternatives to extractions as well replacement of the extracted tooth.

At the time of extraction, your tooth, jawbone and gums that surround the area will be numbed with a local anesthetic. During the extraction process you will feel a lot of pressure but no pain, as the anesthetic has numbed the nerves. Detailed post-operative instructions will be given after the appointment along with any pain prescriptions that are necessary.

Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums caused by bacterial plaque, which gradually destroy the support of your natural teeth. Plaque is a colorless film which sticks to your teeth at the gum line and constantly forms on your teeth.

By thorough daily brushing and flossing you can remove these germs and help prevent periodontal disease. If not carefully removed by daily brushing and flossing, plaque hardens into a rough, porous substance known as calculus (or tartar).

Other important factors affecting the health of your gums include:

Smoking

Diabetes

Stress

Clenching and grinding teeth

Medication

Poor nutrition

Bacteria found in plaque produces toxins or poisons that irritate the gums, which may cause them to turn red, swell and bleed easily. If this irritation is prolonged, the gums separate from the teeth, causing pockets (spaces) to form. As periodontal diseases progress, the supporting gum tissue and bone that holds teeth in place deteriorate. If left untreated, this leads to tooth loss.